Poland’s Border Guard and National Police concluded a two-day enforcement operation aimed at rooting out status violations among foreign nationals living and working in the country. Between 12 and 13 October, nearly 600 officers fanned out across construction sites, logistics centres and shared accommodation in 11 voivodeships, inspecting the identity documents of 1,427 people. The largest cohorts were Ukrainians (530), Colombians (290) and Bangladeshis (80). According to the Border Guard headquarters, 82 individuals were taken into custody. Fifty-one faced administrative return orders for overstaying or lacking a valid residence permit, while nine were deemed a security threat. Another 22 were detained on criminal warrants ranging from assault to document fraud. More than 60 fresh proceedings to oblige foreigners to leave Poland have been opened. For employers the results highlight the government’s tougher stance since April’s amendment to the Foreigners Act, which increased penalties on companies that fail to verify right-to-work documents. Auditors at several large staffing agencies told Global Mobility News that clients are requesting emergency compliance reviews, particularly for third-country nationals brought in under seasonal-work exemptions. The campaign also illustrates a broader EU trend: Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands have all mounted similar blitzes this autumn as Brussels presses member states to enforce internal-border Schengen rules before next year’s Entry/Exit System becomes mandatory. Firms with cross-border assignees should ensure that digital copies of passports, visas and ZUS employment declarations are up to date and readily available in the event of on-site inspections.
Source: Polish Border Guard Headquarters
